Twelve
by AdventWing
Summary: The quest for the Stone is a path taken when one has nothing to lose. For amnesiac Edward, it is the only path. Yet sometimes the journey, is worth more than the destination. AUEdwin


DISCLAIMER: I do not own Full Metal Alchemist. Any information or facts concerning Alchemy is derived from other sources on the Internet, books, FMA, and the recesses of my own brain. Thank you.

* * *

_**Neither with corrosives, nor with fire alone,  
Nor with vinegar, nor with ardent water,  
neither with the vapour of lead,  
our Stone is calcined according to our intent.  
All those who to calcining so be bent,  
from this hard science withdraw their hand,  
Till they our calcining better understand. – Ripley**_

**Twelve**  
_**By Advent Wing**_

"_Philosopher's Stone…ever heard of it?" Edward asked, peering into his glass. He disliked drinking, but he would humour this man a bit. He wasn't legal, but no one needed to know._

_No one dares to question this man anyway. If he wants to let a kid drink, let the damn kid drink. Crowed, true. Loud, true. Any vsitor could feel it, the change in atmosphere. A lamp above them flickered, and then died._

"_Who hasn't? A fairy tale object of unknown shape or form…one that will enable its user to ignore the law of Alchemistic Equilibrium." The man next to him grinned. "I may not be State Alchemist, but I can still provide a textbook answer when I'm sober." He was not one to remain sober for long._

"_So far, the majority of people I've talked to about it have said something similar to 'Fairy Tale'." Edward responded casually._

"…_There is no such thing such as 'No such thing' in this world."_

_Edward's gaze settled to rest on the man, his eyes suddenly alive. "…Do you know something about the stone?" Around them, conversations continued, ignoring the impact of the one between the two alchemists._

_The man known as The Greedy Alchemist glanced at Edward, his smile suddenly sinister. _

"_Only that those who attempt to get close to it, stand to lose everything."_

"_Hah! You think I care about that? I have nothing to lose!" Edward was too loud. People would hear him._

"_Sigh…the young these days…" He trailed off, and, recognizing someone behind Edward, raised his glass in greeting. _

_Edward turned his head to glance at whom Greed had acknowledged. _

_When he looked back, Greed was gone, and his glass was empty._

"Mr. Elric…Mr. Elric!"

Edward's head snapped up from the excerpt he was reading. He glanced at the student who had called him. Judging by their stares, he had trailed off in mid-sentence.

Again.

Edward's glare suddenly became sharp. "…It's Mr. Elric, SIR! To you."

The student swallowed audibly. "R-right! Please forgive me!"

Edward exercised his authority as much as possible. He was, after all, only a year older than most of his students.

And shorter.

Thus Edward exercised his authority as much as possible. He grinned inwardly at the discomfort his glare was causing.

He was feared.

"Y-you mentioned at the beginning of the class that you'd give us an assignment?"

"Hmm? Well then…" He muttered, idly scratching his head. "Do a 1000 word essay on Paracelsus. Have it handed to me in…a week? No…that's too long…hmm."

With more than 4000 students, it was considered a pet project of the government, and received more than adequate funding. All the subjects and syllabus were geared to create Grade-A alchemists.

A training ground for Living Weapons.

Was it Edward's problem that these kids had no idea that they were being trained to be soldiers? …Probably, but he didn't care. Yet. He needed this place, and for that, he would let it stand.

Meanwhile, Edward's class had a rare moment of unity, and started a little Olympic-grade 'synchronized sweating'. An essay on Paracelsus was not easy. To do it in a week….

They had one last chance to appease the demon-god. "Ah…well…you see, Mr. Elric, Sir, we just wanted to confirm. You said-"

"A week!" he said to the class. The silence was deafening.

Without so much as a glance as his students left his class, Edward debated the age-old battle of 'nap versus work'. In the end, the work on his desk won, and he looked back at the Paracelsus excerpts sitting irritably in front of him.

_Those students better bring me some new info. If I have to sit here reading 200000 words of 'A Newbie's Guide To Paracelsus', next week's headline will be 'Teacher Jumps To His Death'._

"…I'll just give the grades to those who find me new information," he muttered decisively, semi-proud of getting his students to do his work.

He grabbed a book from his library-worthy pile and flipped through it absent-mindedly.

"**_Ah, Charles the German, where is your treasure? Where are your philosophers? Where your doctors? Where are your decanters of woods, who at the very least purge and relax? Is your heaven reversed?"_**

His eye twitched impatiently. Damn your flowery language, Paracelsus! He checked his list of known Alchemists. Charles the German…was he a Philosopher? Or their leader?

He referred to another sheet. He grinned widely. "Got ya."

"Nature begets a mineral in the bowels of the earth…The best which has been offered to me…is in the eastern part of the sphere of the Sun…for it is of a cold and moist nature, and agrees with the element of water.

"That's it! The Astrum of Water! I've found it!"

He laughed, his frown easing suddenly. To his right sat the world. The globe was stabbed with complicated points, magnets marked places of interest and it was gratified with marker. He twirled it before settling on a place. He dropped his pen in wonder.

"It can't be…"

He grabbed a nearby map of Amestris. _No…Rizenpool!_

He dropped the sheet.

With a gasp, he clutched his head in pain. His entire body shook with it. He swayed dangerously to the right and tumbled off his chair. Curling up, he grit his teeth determinedly. "Here we go again…!" Like a knife, it split his head….

"_**All is one. One is all!"** Started a young boy. His features are blurred._ "I can't see his face…!" Edward complained through clenched teeth.

"_**All is the world, and one is ME!"** another chimed in._ "Me…? Right…"

The knife pulled out of his head, and Edward had one more memory to mull over.

One year of visions. He stared at his automail hand in memory.

First and foremost was that it freaking hurt when they visited. The other was that what they suggested was more than he could handle…driving him to the point of insanity until he made sense of them and then dragging him back to the land of the sane.

Insanity was his only explanation.

_Doesn't matter…I've found it._

"I've found…the Sulphur of Cinnabar…."

* * *

"THIEF! SCUM! GET THE HECK BACK HERE!" 

_Noisy woman…!_ Thought the thief in question as he ran from the shop. _God, this really isn't worth…the…trouble…oops._

Mr. Thief came face-to-face with Mr. Elric, his automail transformed into his trademark blade.

"Hey, I'm been having a good day. You can make it better."

"Uh…it's bad karma, right? …Won't kicking my ass bring bad karma? Not that I'm a guru or anything…" the thief began desperately, staring tentatively at the blade.

"Maybe…but I'm sure it will help…" Ed's voice trailed off, and his face paled as his eyes tracked something behind the thief. "Brace yourself. That will hurt."

The thief had barely enough time to register a 'what will hurt?' before a flying wrench caught up with the back of his head.

Edward stared with wide eyes. _A…flying wrench?_

"AHA! Fool! You thought you could get away? I ought to…hello."

A young girl who looked about his age grinned in embarrassment; her face was flushed. "Oh…did you just stop him for me? Thanks, moving targets are harder to hit. I run a workshop a few blocks away." Edward shook off his disbelief.

"…I caught him…" He said, discreetly returning his hand to normal. "…But I think you stopped him." _Her nametag…_

"_**Winry Rockbell!"**_

"…Winry…" He whispered, staggering, holding a hand to his forehead. He tried straightening up.

"Yup. That's my name. What's yours?" She asked, bending over to rummage though the thief's pockets.

"Edward. What'd he take?"

"Huh? Just some parts." She stood up and paused. Edward traced her gaze to his arm. He sighed. Automail hadn't really caught on. Religious issues apparently. It didn't help that it wasn't cheap. A guy with an automail arm and leg was pretty uncommon, even here in Central. It made him feel touchy when people stared.

"…Its automail-"

"I know what it is. I'm an automail mechanic." She explained. "…That arm…sure reminds me of something."

Edward paused at that. Could it be that she knew where he got his arm and leg?

"I have a blueprint that looks exactly like it…."

Edward tried to keep a straight face. _This Winry could be a lead!_ "Interesting. Let me see the design."

* * *

Upon closer inspection of the living quarters above her shop, Edward decided that the girl wasn't crazy. Just very, very, obsessed with machinery. He paced aimlessly, exploring the upper level of her shop. Shiny photos framed the wall. He glanced away, almost as if he had squinted into the sun by mistake. _Hmph…family…_

"…So you're saying you made this arm?" he asked.

"No…I'm saying I have a blueprint that looks A LOT like that arm." She retorted. Her voice sounded muffled and came from another room.

_Jeez. Just leaving me here alone like this. No wonder she was robbed._

"Aha!" She cried, walking towards him, waving a rolled up tube of paper in the air. She deposited it on a table with a flourish. "What do you think of this?"

Edward took a step back from the complicated drawing. The arm looked exactly like his! "Who made the automail for you?" She asked, dead serious. "My grandmother was the only one who's ever seen the design!" What would he do? What would he say?

Her cerulean eyes burned into his gold ones. "…If someone's been stealing my designs…or…if Granny made that…either way, I have to know!"

Edward paused before jerking his sleeve out of her grip. "To make a long story short, I don't know who built it."

Winry face darkened. "What do you mean you don't know? Are you an amnesiac?"

Edward glanced out the second floor window. _Amnesia. If only it were that simple…_it would do. "…Yeah. Kind of."

She studied him for a long moment, the loaded sentence putting her off. She sighed. "…I'm…sorry. I guess I am being a little…offensive. I mean you did stop that thief and all…"

Ed didn't spare her a glance, as he made to return to the shop downstairs. "I'll be going now."

"Hey! Wait up!" She cried. She caught up to him at the door.

"You know, that arm, if it is the same one, is an older version I made. It was too heavy for any real use."

Edward paused at this. "So?"

"Well it could have negative effects on your body."

That caught his attention. "Like what?"

"…Take growth for example."

Edward paused for a bit to let it sink in. "…You…can…make me…" He struggled with the word. "…Taller?"

"…Taller? How old are you?" She asked.

"…Seventeen."

"What? And you're only that much taller than me? Wow, that is kind of-"

"Okay! I get it!" He said with a huff. She laughed a little.

"So mister, you want an appointment?"

He frowned thoughtfully. "…I can make myself free tomorrow."

"_**You two better be free! You've been holed up in that house all day! Reading! Unbelievable!"**_

"…Winry…" He muttered, holding a hand to his forehead. Edwards's eyes narrowed. He had to ask. "Have we met before?"

"Maybe." She said. A sly look crossed her features. "But to be honest, I feel the need to maintain a professional relationship. I'm going to be your mechanic after all." She topped it off with a benevolent smile.

"…I asked you a very simple question…do you know me?"

"I guess I shouldn't play around with the amnesiac." She teased. "I'm disappointed you don't remember me. I'll jog your memory later." She smiled, and slammed the door closed.

"…What an irritating woman." Edward made a small growl of irritation as he punched his metal fist into his normal palm. "She's got to be leading me on. Why didn't she know my name?"

* * *

Bumpy. That was the only word that filled his head. 

Bumpy.

"Aw man! I don't get why we're even on this mission!" groaned a nearby soldier. "So what if they're amassing Chimeras? Is this any way to use the 5th Erde Division of the Fuhrer's Army? We're wasted on Chimeras!

While the armoured carrier trudged diligently across the border between Amestris and Cretance, its cargo…was not as docile.

"What? You want to question your orders, make a complaint. However, I don't guarantee your military career after that…" Another piped up.

He looked at the only State Alchemist assigned to the Unit. Colonel Roy Mustang had personally assigned him to this task. "What about you newbie? What do you think of this?"

Alphonse looked up from book he was reading. "Sounds interesting."

* * *

Colonel Mustang's eyebrow twitched in irritation. 

"…and then, you know what she did? She won the baking contest! Of course, I knew she could do it, but-"

"Hughes. The report."

"Ah right, I was getting to that. You see, before the judge first tasted the pie-"

"Damn it Hughes!"

"-Before she tasted the pie, she was all 'Oh, this is too plain and blah blah blah', but when she tasted it, she sure ate her words! Heh. Ate." He chortled good-naturedly at his pun.

"…Hughes?"

Maes Hughes continued yapping at his superior and best friend while he watched the elderly lady waiting for him outside the booth. She eventually walked away. His face became grim.

"On the 21st of March, at exactly 2105 hours, code name 'Greed' was last sighted in a bar concerning what appears to be a drink with a friend. The one sighted with him is apparently a teacher at Central U. He is registered as Edward Elric. He is 17 years old, blond hair, gold tinted eyes. He is also a registered Alchemist."

"I want the full report on him on my desk, Hughes."

"…Roy. That was the full report."

"…What! It can't be?"

"Its dumbfounding. Why would Greed meet with a 'nobody'? Elric has no contacts, no family, and no close friends. He keeps to himself, and the Board of Education only hired him because of his outstanding performance in their Qualification Exams. He's never come up until now. He's literally 'off the grid'."

"…Interesting." He smirked. "Mark him. He may lead us to the Homunculus."

"Yeah. I thought so. By the way, how is recruitment going?"

Roy mulled the question over. "Hawkeye is taking care of that. For once, everything is going well. It must be her guidance."

On the other side of Central, eyes took on a new glint. "…Don't work her too hard. Gracia and I have noticed how-"

Roy jumped to his feet and slammed the phone down fiercely. "Dismissed!"

He turned around, feeling the stares. "…Get back to work!"

* * *

_Armony swallowed. Hiessengard was under siege. _

Run, RUN!

_She could not feel her legs, just the jolt of each step as she ran through the castle corridors._

If you stop, you will die.

_Her vision blurred. Papa. She only heard the gunfire, but that was enough to see him die in her mind. Armony stumbled and fell. She let a quiet whimper of pain escape. She staggered to her feet, and tried to get up, but her ankle-_

_Time was running out, they would catch her…_

They will kill you.

_She pulled herself into a room, and slammed the door behind her, praying that the pain would cease just long enough to escape-_

_The door burst open in an explosion of red energy, the blinding light of twisting flames entering the room. Armony hit the ground, and stared fearfully at her executioner._

_Frosty gold eyes stared pointedly at her. The flames that he had created, burning the walls; burning her home, they silhouetted his body and the rest of his face. He lifted a gloved hand with an Alchemistical Sigil on it. He lightly lifted that hand, with his index and middle finger extended._

"…You are?"

She stood on her feet, preferring to die that way, blinking away tears of fright and pain.

"…I am Armony Eiselstein! The daughter of the man you butchered!"

His eyes widened, and he dropped his hand. "…They told me he had no family!" The words came out hoarse.

"That makes this right! Papa…what did he do to deserve this?"

He stared at her, with…could it be…sorrow? Suddenly her executioner then cocked his head to the left, as if hearing something. "C'mon. Can you stand?" He walked forward hesitantly.

"Don't come near me!" She cried out. He paused at that. Then, looking pained, he lifted two fingers, which began to glow. With speed Armony didn't think possible, the man drew an Alchemistic Sigil in the air with light. "I'm sorry," he said, and darkness followed.

_Tsuzuku_

Notes: And…the stage is set! Any questions, coments, or helpful criticism, hit that little button. You know the one.


End file.
